May 2014 - MARMAM - devlists.uvic.ca

Urgent - Volunteers required in Portugal for MMOs in monitoring campaigns in the NE Atlantic Ocean (Isabel Sousa Pinto)
by Ana Mafalda Tomás Correia 09 May '14

09 May '14

*Issue: *Urgent - Volunteers required in Portugal for MMOs in monitoring campaigns in the NE Atlantic Ocean (Isabel Sousa Pinto) The Faculty of Sciences from University of Porto / Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research is preparing its 3rd year of cetacean monitoring in cargo ships from Continental Portugal (Porto/Lisbon) to Madeira Island (Caniçal). Sampling season will start in mid-June (date depending on the company schedules) and will go on up to October. The surveys will occur at least twice a month and last for about a week (go and return from the continent to the island). We are seeking volunteers for the MMOs team with, at least, one month of availability within the sampling season. Training will be provided but people with cetacean monitoring experience will be preferred. Successful applicants should possess or be enrolled in a BS or MS course in biology or related, be reliable, dedicated, adaptable and patient, as this work is highly weather dependent and requires consecutive days of work at sea. These are unpaid travel expenses to or within Portugal and accommodation between surveys are not covered, however, all the expenses on board are (food and accommodation). Participants can also participate in data entry and data analysis if they wish to work/learn with GIS and habitat modelling techniques. If you are an undergraduate or graduated student interested in pursuing a careen in marine mammal research, this is an excellent opportunity to learn and gain experience at sea. To apply please send a Motivation Letter and *Curriculum Vitae* to: ispinto(a)ciimar.up.pt and anamafaldacorreia(a)gmail.com. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Prof. Dr. Isabel Sousa Pinto Prof. Faculty of Sciences of University of Porto Interdisciplinary Centre for Marine and Environmental Research - Director of Coastal Biodiversity Lab R. dos Bragas, *289. 4050-123* Porto, Portugal Email: *ispinto(a)ciimar.up.pt <ispinto(a)ciimar.up.pt>* *http://www.ciimar.up.pt/ <http://www.ciimar.up.pt/>* [image: Imagem intercalada 3][image: Imagem intercalada 2]

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Senior Electronic Design Engineer Vacancy
by Bernie McConnell 09 May '14

09 May '14

Greetings, The SMRU Instrumentation Group has an exciting vacancy for a Senior Electronic Design Engineer. The advert and further particulars of this post are available at: https://www.vacancies.st-andrews.ac.uk//ViewVacancy.aspx?enc=mEgrBL4XQK0+ld… (note the last "==" in the address is essential) Please pass this onto anyone who may be interested in applying. Happy to engage in informal enquiries. Best Bernie Dr Bernie McConnell Sea Mammal Research Unit, Scottish Oceans Institute, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 8LB, Scotland. Direct +44 (0)1334 463280 Mobile +44 (0)7764 161891 Skype berniemcconnell

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Elephant seals and killer whales - Field helpers
by Simona Sanvito 08 May '14

08 May '14

VOLUNTEERS FIELD HELPERS RECRUITMENT ------------------------------------ PROJECT: Long term study of southern elephant seals and killer whales behavioral ecology WEB SITE: www.eleseal.org POSITION: Volunteer (unpaid) field helper DURATION: 3 to 6 months, early September 2014 to early March 2015 LOCATION: Sea Lion Island, Falkland Islands, Southern Atlantic DUTIES: - Elephant seals: counts, marking, GIS data collection, observation of behavior, pup handling, collection of samples - Killer whales: counts, photoidentification, observation and videotaping of behavior, necropsies of preys DEADLINE: May 31, 2014; please note that, capabilities being equal, positions will be allocated with a first come first served policy Volunteer field helpers are required for the 2014-2015 field season of a long term project on southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina) and killer whales (Orcinus orca) carried out by the Elephant Seal Research Group. The field work site is Sea Lion Island (Falkland Islands). Sea Lion Island on Google maps Successful applicants will receive adequate training and will help with tagging and marking, counts, mapping of seals positions by GPS, management of environmental data loggers, behavioral observations, handling (weighing) of pups, and collection of biological samples. Moreover, they will help with photoidentification and observation of killer whales, and their predation behavior. They will also help with necropsies of elephant seals and sea lions predated by killer whales. Volunteers will be supervised by the PIs and/or by trained technicians. Previous experience of field work is appreciated but not essential. The field season runs for 6 months, from the beginning of September to the beginning of March. Only applicants who can stay for a minimum of about 3 months can be taken into consideration. Preference will be given to volunteers wishing to stay for the whole season (6 months). Applicants are required to pay all expenses to get to Sea Lion Island, and telephone/Internet expenses while there. Accommodation and food at SLI will be provided by the ESRG. Accommodation on SLI is rather basic and self-catering, but quite comfortable for a field research setting. Applicants will be required to work for the whole length of the day, seven days per week, with just half day per week of rest. The work is physically demanding, and it is often carried out in bad weather conditions. People without a good tolerance to cold are discouraged to apply. The island is a wonderful place with a very rich and tame wildlife, including large colonies of penguins and marine birds. To apply please send 1) a cover letter describing your interest in the position, 2) a CV or resume, and 3) a copy of an identification document with picture, to dr. Filippo Galimberti (fil_esrg(a)eleseal.org) Please put all documents together in the same file. Preferred format for email attachments is PDF. Reference letters (3 maximum) are appreciated but not essential, and should be sent directly to the email address mentioned above. Deadline for submission is May 31, 2013. Due to the limited number of positions available we warmly suggest perspective candidates to apply as soon as possible. Filippo Galimberti & Simona Sanvito Elephant Seal Research Group fil_esrg(a)eleseal.org www.eleseal.org

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New publication on common bottlenose dolphin abundance
by Giancarlo Lauriano 08 May '14

08 May '14

Dear Marmam members, we are pleased to draw your attention to a paper that just come out in Marine Environment Research about abundance of common bottlenose dolphin (/Tursiops truncatus/) Lauriano, G., Pierantonio, N., Donovan, G., Panigada, S., Abundance and distribution of Tursiops truncatus in the Western Mediterranean Sea: an assessment towards the Marine Strategy Framework Directive requirements, Marine Environmental Research (2014), doi: 10.1016/j.marenvres.2014.04.0 Abstract The Mediterranean Sea common bottlenose dolphin population has been assessed as /Vulnerable/ according to the IUCN Red List Criteria. The species is also included in several International Agreements, European Union Regulations and Directives. Amongst them, a strict protection and identification of special conservation areas are requested by the EU Habitats Directive. Despite direct takes, by-catch, chemical and acoustic pollution, and prey depletion, general habitat degradation and fragmentation have been indicated as detrimental for the species, the degree to which these threats pose population risk is still largely unknown. At present it is thus not possible to depict the actual status of the population and to assess prospective trends. To address this gap in the current knowledge, line transect distance sampling aerial surveys were conducted in a wide portion of the Western Mediterranean Sea between the summer of 2010 and winter 2011. A total of 165 parallel transects equally spaced at 15 km were designed providing homogeneous coverage probability. Overall, 21,090 km were flown on effort and 16 bottlenose dolphin sightings were recorded and used for the analysis. The surface abundance and density estimates resulted in 1676 animals (CV = 38.25; 95% CI = 804--3492) with a density of 0.005 (CV = 38.25%). These results represent the first ever estimates for the common bottlenose dolphin over a wide portion of the Western Mediterranean Sea Subregion, with the potential to be useful baseline data to inform conservation. Specifically, they could be used as indicators under the Marine Strategy Framework Directive requirements, in conjunction with other study methods. Paper is available on line at: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0141113614000737 Regards, Giancarlo Lauriano and coauthors -- Giancarlo Lauriano Istituto Superiore per la Protezione e la Ricerca Ambientale Via V. Brancati 60, 00144 Roma 06500724762

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VOLUNTEERS REQUIRED IN AUSTRALIA FOR A BEHAVIOURAL RESPONSE STUDY ON HUMPBACK WHALES
by Michael Noad 07 May '14

07 May '14

SECOND AND FINAL CALL FOR VOLUNTEERS REQUIRED FOR A BEHAVIOURAL RESPONSE STUDY ON HUMPBACK WHALES IN AUSTRALIA The Cetacean Ecology and Acoustics Lab at the University of Queensland is seeking expressions of interest from volunteers for a five-and-a-half week behavioural response study (BRS) on humpback whales from September 19 to October 26 this year. The study will examine how humpback whale behaviour is affected by noise from seismic air guns. It is the fourth and last in a series of experiments, known as the Behavioural Responses of Australian Humpback whales to Seismic Surveys (BRAHSS) project, that has been examining this issue since 2010 in collaboration with the University of Sydney, Curtin University, the Australian Marine Mammal Centre, the University of Newcastle and Blue Planet Marine. The 2014 study will once again be conducted at Peregian Beach on the Sunshine Coast, just north of Brisbane, and follows several successful studies of humpback whale vocalisations and behaviour at the same site during the Humpback whale Acoustic Research Collaboration (HARC) as well as the first two years of BRAHSS in 2010 and 2011 (http://www.brahss.org.au/ ; http://www.uq.edu.au/whale) Volunteers are required mainly to conduct land-based observations of the whales as they pass our study site. Approximately 4,000 whales should migrate southwards within 10km of Peregian Beach during the field period making the site ideal for land-based tracking and observations of behaviour. We will also have a fixed hydrophone array moored offshore allowing us to record ambient noise and whale vocalisations and acoustically track singing whales in real time as well a second array of acoustic recorders deployed in the area for propagation modelling and recording the air gun signals. Some whales will be tagged with Dtags. Although volunteers will be used to help out on the boats, opportunities for volunteers to participate in boat work are limited and most time will be spent doing land-based observations. Volunteers will also have opportunities to participate in the acoustic recording and tracking of whales. Individual volunteers will spend approximately five hours daily (in two shifts) counting and observing passing whales from the land. Volunteers will get at least one day off per week, usually during bad weather. Due to the complex nature of the study, volunteers will receive detailed training at the beginning of the project and therefore successful applicants must be available for the entire duration of the project. A high standard of safety will be maintained throughout the field work and volunteers will be trained in safety procedures. Volunteers must be sociable as they will be expected to work and live as part of teams with shared cooking and cleaning duties. We expect that there will be up to 90 people (researchers, staff and volunteers) at the site. Volunteers must organise and pay for their own transport to the study site (close to Brisbane International Airport) but food and accommodation are provided once there. As meals are communal, fussy eaters are discouraged from applying! (vegetarians are fine). This project will suit people with a background in science (including recent graduates and graduate students as well as higher level undergraduate students) keen to gain experience in cetacean survey techniques, acoustics and behavioural response studies. Applicants should also be highly motivated and able to concentrate for several hours at a time. Those with previous survey experience of marine mammals or other taxa will be preferred. This is a rare opportunity to be part of a leading interdisciplinary study of the effects of noise on whale behaviour. The research project is being funded by the Joint Industry Programme on E&P Sound and Marine Life (JIP) (www.soundandmarinelife.org<http://www.soundandmarinelife.org>) and the US Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (www.boem.gov<http://www.boem.gov>) as part of a broad investigation into the potential interaction between the sounds that are generated by the offshore petroleum industry and the marine environment. Applicants should reply with a single email to Michael Noad (mnoad(a)uq.edu.au<mailto:mnoad@uq.edu.au>), Rebecca Dunlop (r.dunlop(a)uq.edu.au<mailto:r.dunlop@uq.edu.au>) and Michael Williamson (m.williamson3(a)uq.edu.au<mailto:m.williamson3@uq.edu.au>) outlining why they would be suitable for this survey, why they would like to participate, an outline of previous relevant experience, and any other relevant details. The email should include an attached CV and the names and contact details of two professional referees. The closing date for volunteer applications is 31 May and successful field applicants will be notified in June. PhD possibility CEAL is also seeking expressions of interest for an available PhD project. This project will aim to determine the function of humpback whale social vocalisations (http://www.uq.edu.au/whale/acoustic-comms) To be considered, candidates must meet the following criteria: * Successful applicant for BRAHSS field work * Hold an honours degree (preferably first class) and/or masters degree in a relevant subject area (e.g. animal communication, acoustic communication, animal behaviour, underwater acoustics) * If not from Australia or New Zealand, be competitive for an international research scholarship, i.e. having at least one published paper in a relevant area Potential candidates will take part in, and be interviewed during, the BRAHSS field season. If you wish to be considered for the PhD as well as volunteering for the field season, please put "BRAHSS 2014 field volunteer - consider for PhD" in the subject line of your BRAHSS volunteer application. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Michael Noad BVSc PhD Associate Professor Co-Leader, Cetacean Ecology and Acoustics Laboratory School of Veterinary Science The University of Queensland - Gatton Campus, Qld 4343, Australia. P. +61 (0)7 5460 1876 (UQ internal 50876) F. +61 (0)7 5460 1922 M. +61 (0)416270567 W. www.uq.edu.au/vetschool<http://www.uq.edu.au/vetschool/cetacean-ecology-acoustic-laboratory> W. www.uq.edu.au/whale<http://www.uq.edu.au/whale> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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shipping noise guidelines adopted by IMO
by Jasny, Michael 06 May '14

06 May '14

Some good news from London. On Thursday, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) adopted guidelines to reduce underwater noise from commercial ships. The new guidelines: - recognize that shipping noise can have short-term and long-term impacts on marine life; - call for measurement of shipping noise according to objective ISO standards, which are themselves on the verge of adoption; - identify computational models for determining effective quieting measures; - provide guidance for designing quieter ships and for reducing noise from existing ships, especially from propeller cavitation; and - advise owners and operators on how to minimize noise through ship operations and maintenance, such as by polishing ship propellers to remove fouling and surface roughness. While these (as yet) are voluntary guidelines, not mandatory code, they put the IMO's imprimatur on noise reduction. Thanks go to the U.S. government, which put the issue on IMO's agenda and shepherded it through the IMO's byzantine processes, and to Germany, Australia, Spain, the UK, and other governments that supported and helped develop the guidelines. Thanks also to the coalition of progressive trade groups, research and academic scientists, and NGOs who partnered with member states to get this done. The more difficult work - implementation - lies ahead, but the guidelines are a milestone in the advancement of this issue. Please contact me if you'd like an unofficial copy of the guidelines, or if you have questions or suggestions for the next phase of work. Cheers, Michael Michael Jasny | Director, Marine Mammal Protection Natural Resources Defense Council| www.NRDC.org<http://www.nrdc.org/> 4479 W. 5th Avenue | Vancouver, BC V6R1S4 o: 604.736.9386 | c: 310.560.5536 | e: mjasny(a)nrdc.org<mailto:mjasny@nrdc.org>

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Exciting announcements from the Discovery of Sound in the Sea (DOSITS) Project
by Holly Morin 06 May '14

06 May '14

On Friday morning, May 9, 2014, The Discovery of Sound in the Sea (DOSITS) Team will host a special session, Communicating the Science of Underwater Sound, at the Acoustical Society of America’s (ASA’s) 2014 Spring Conference in Providence, RI. If you are attending the ASA meeting, the DOSITS Team invites you to participate in this forum on techniques and resources for improving the education of underwater sound. The special session will take place from 8:55-11:00am in room 554 A/B of the Rhode Island Convention Center. This session is being co-sponsored by the Education in Acoustics and Animal Bioacoustics ASA Committees. The DOSITS team is also excited to announce several new features available on the DOSTS website (www.dosits.org) There is a new look and feel to the DOSITS front page. It was recently redesigned to be faster and more mobile friendly. Other changes have made the whole site a bit more mobile friendly and DOSITS will continue this trend in the coming year. There are several new features available on the updated DOSITS front page: An interactive rotator box, which features a variety of DOSITS topics and provides direct access to deeper content with one click (or touch). A What’s New section, which lists and provides direct links to new and/or recently updated pages available on the DOSITS website. A Hot Topics section that features interesting and new underwater acoustics developments. As new, peer-reviewed, scientific papers or other materials that represent important, cutting-edge acoustics discoveries are published, a short summary and links to relevant DOSITS pages will be provided in this section. Other updated navigational components, including direct links (via boxes at the bottom of the front page) to the Audio, Career, Scientist, and Technology Galleries, have been added. Navigation on the left hand side of the DOSITS site has essentially remained the same, although drop down menus no longer appear. Also, new “jump to topic” drop down menus are available on internal pages, and allow a user to see all content pages of a section and easily move to a new content page if necessary. A new gallery has been added to the DOSITS website: the Career Gallery. This searchable gallery describes over 20 careers related to underwater sound and is designed to help users gain an understanding of the diversity of career options available. Each career description includes details such as educational requirements, suggested knowledge and skills, possible duties and responsibilities, and an estimated salary range taken from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (www.bls.gov) An example of a current person in each career is also included to provide real-world context. Links to the DOSITS Technology Gallery and other content pages are listed for each career description. Information presented on the DOSITS website and its associated educational materials is based solely on current, published scientific research, and all content has undergone a thorough review by a panel of scientific experts. The DOSITS website has been developed and produced by the University of Rhode Island's Graduate School of Oceanography in partnership with Marine Acoustics, Inc., with support from the Office of Naval Research (ONR), National Science Foundation (NSF), and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). To receive more information about the DOSITS project please contact Holly Morin (holly_morin(a)mail.uri.edu) Holly Morin Marine Research Associate II University of Rhode Island Graduate School of Oceanography holly_morin(a)mail.uri.edu 401-874-6414

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Stantec is hiring: Intermediate/Senior Marine Mammal Biologist
by Suta, Georgeta 06 May '14

06 May '14

Stantec is hiring an Intermediate/Senior Marine Mammal Biologist Your Opportunity: Stantec has 3,000 Environmental Services staff. 20 technical specialties. 900 professional associations. An international team with local expertise. Grounded by safety, quality, and ethics, we come up with scientific solutions that perfectly fit the job. We know what it takes to balance competing project interests with creativity and efficiency, and show dedication and passion for our job. We are currently looking for an Intermediate/Senior Marine Mammal Biologist to work as part of a team of biologists in our St. John's, NL or Dartmouth, NS office. The successful candidate will be a proven team player, self-motivated, good at multitasking and able to think creatively and broadly across many disciplines within the marine sciences. He/she will be also be a clear effective communicator, a good technical writer, and have experience designing and implementing field programs. This position will work closely with the Regional and National Technical Marine Science Leads and be responsible for contributing to environmental impact assessments, environmental effects monitoring programs, research projects, liaise with clients, scientists and engineering specialists to provide mitigation, monitoring and surveying advice, and support the regional and national marine service area in a variety of capacities. Tasks will further include report and proposal writing, preparing presentations and occasional field work. Some travel will be required. Your Capabilities and Credentials: Required The successful candidate will have: * At least a M.Sc in marine mammal science * A minimum of 5 years' post graduate degree hands-on experience in a related position * Strong data analysis and interpretation capabilities with good statistical knowledge * Program management skills * Experience working with federal, provincial and municipal regulatory agencies * Experience with marine mammal observations (e.g., vessel-based, shore-based or aerial surveys, whale watching/naturalist work). * An understanding of environmental law, EIAs and relevant marine mammal policy is desirable * Ability to communicate both verbally and in writing to team members and clients is essential. Preferred * Working knowledge of Distance Sampling and Analysis * Working knowledge of acoustic modeling * Multi-disciplinary interests and experience * Consulting experience * Experience working as an MMO * Experience living at sea for extended periods of time. Interested candidates are invited to apply online<https://jobs2-stantec.icims.com/jobs/19009/intermediate--senior-marine-mamm…> or via email: Georgeta.Suta(a)stantec.com. Best regards, Georgeta Suta, CHRP, RPR Recruitment Specialist Stantec 300 - 675 Cochrane Drive West Tower Markham ON L3R 0B8 Phone: 905-944-6189 georgeta.suta(a)stantec.com<mailto:georgeta.suta@stantec.com> [http://www.stantec.com/content/dam/stantec/images/esignature/stantec.png]<http://www.stantec.com/> The content of this email is the confidential property of Stantec and should not be copied, modified, retransmitted, or used for any purpose except with Stantec's written authorization. If you are not the intended recipient, please delete all copies and notify us immediately. ü Please consider the environment before printing this email.

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Animal Behavior and Cognition Table of Contents
by Stan Kuczaj 06 May '14

06 May '14

I have attached the Table of Contents for the latest issue of Animal Behavior and Cognition. PDFs of each article (as well as those for issue 1) are available at the ABC website for no cost: http://abc.sciknow.org/index.html Animal Behavior and Cognition is an open access peer-reviewed journal and does not charge authors any publication or processing fees. Manuscripts may be submitted to s.kuczaj(a)usm.edu or animalbehaviorandcognition(a)gmail.com [cid:a36ec128-fd23-43fd-af95-44df17d33d25@usm.edu]

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2014 Call for Abstracts: Poster Session and Student Research Presentation Session
by David S. Janiger 06 May '14

06 May '14

Dear MARMAM subscribers, 14th International Conference of the American Cetacean Society (ACS) Tuned in to Whales: Conservation, Research & Education. Friday, November 7th through Sunday, November 9th, 2014 Hyatt Regency, Newport Beach, California 2014 Call for Abstracts: Poster Session and Student Research Presentation Session The Student Research Presentation Session is devoted exclusively to research presented by undergraduate and/or graduate students, and is intended to encourage discussion and facilitate the exchange of current information pertaining to cetacean research, conservation, policy and education. It also provides an opportunity for students at universities and institutions to gain presentation experience in a professional environment, and presents a forum in which existing professionals may meet their rising peers. Abstract submissions will be accepted from current undergraduate or graduate students, student interns, and recently graduated students (within the past year) who conducted their work prior to graduation. Student authors must be from accredited institutions of higher education. The Poster Presentation Session will showcase a variety of programs and projects based at education institutions, agencies, and non-profit organizations. All are invited to submit abstracts for review. Posters addressing diverse topics within the fields of cetacean research, conservation, policy, and education, are welcome. Abstracts for both the Poster Presentation Session and the Student Research Presentation Session will be accepted through Saturday, July 31, 2014. To obtain submission guidelines and forms for either session please contact the ACS office at: acsoffice(a)acsonline.org. AMERICAN CETACEAN SOCIETY P.O. Box 1391 San Pedro, CA 90733-1391 www.acsonline.org Richard Ternullo - rternullo(a)aol.com

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